Annuals for dry shade is a bit of a misnomer. First, most of them aren't true annuals,
we just grow them that way. More importantly, they all welcome regular watering.
However, the 10 annual flowers listed here will all bloom and grow in partial shade with
minimal supplemental water and give a much needed shot of color to a shady corner.
we just grow them that way. More importantly, they all welcome regular watering.
However, the 10 annual flowers listed here will all bloom and grow in partial shade with
minimal supplemental water and give a much needed shot of color to a shady corner.
1. Balsam (Impatiens Balsamina)
Photo: © Marie Iannotti
Balsam is a member of the Impatiens family. There are annual
and
perennial balsams. Annual balsam is very easy to grow from
seed and blooms pretty much all summer. It can withstand
short periods of drought, but can’t stand wet feet. Balsam
flowers in shades of white, pink, rose, and red and grows and
blooms fine in partial shade. At 2' tall, it is one of the taller
annuals.
and
perennial balsams. Annual balsam is very easy to grow from
seed and blooms pretty much all summer. It can withstand
short periods of drought, but can’t stand wet feet. Balsam
flowers in shades of white, pink, rose, and red and grows and
blooms fine in partial shade. At 2' tall, it is one of the taller
annuals.
2. Cleome or Spider Flower (Cleome hassleriana)
Photo: © Marie Iannotti
Drought tolerant Cleome will bloom where it’s planted. In full
sun, the plants can top out at over 6' tall. You probably won’t
get that much height in partial shade, but you will still get plenty
of blooms. There are some stunning new shades of purple cleome,
as well as the pink and white standbys. Cleome is a self-seeder,
but It’s easy enough to pull out in the spring and I’ve never seen it
become a nuisance.
sun, the plants can top out at over 6' tall. You probably won’t
get that much height in partial shade, but you will still get plenty
of blooms. There are some stunning new shades of purple cleome,
as well as the pink and white standbys. Cleome is a self-seeder,
but It’s easy enough to pull out in the spring and I’ve never seen it
become a nuisance.
3. English Daisy (Bellis Perennis)
Photo: © Marie Iannotti
OK, English Daisies are supposed to be perennial plants down to
USDA Zone 4, so maybe they shouldn’t be included here. But since
we won’t be growing them in ideal conditions, I wouldn’t necessarily
count on them returning next year. English Daisies grow to about
12" tall, with daisy-like blooms on top of slender, bending stems.
They look like refined wildflowers, in shades of pink and white.
USDA Zone 4, so maybe they shouldn’t be included here. But since
we won’t be growing them in ideal conditions, I wouldn’t necessarily
count on them returning next year. English Daisies grow to about
12" tall, with daisy-like blooms on top of slender, bending stems.
They look like refined wildflowers, in shades of pink and white.
4. Flowering Tobacco (Nicotiana sylvestris)
Photo: © Marie Iannotti
There are lots of dwarf Nicotiana on the market, in a variety of
colors, but tall, white-flowers Nicotiana sylvestris is still an attraction. Nicotiana sylvestris grows about 5' tall and supposedly gives off a
perfumed scent in the evenings, when its flowers face upward. I’ve
never seen that happen. But I still grow it for the dangling white
tubular flowers that grow in clusters and jingle in the breeze.
colors, but tall, white-flowers Nicotiana sylvestris is still an attraction. Nicotiana sylvestris grows about 5' tall and supposedly gives off a
perfumed scent in the evenings, when its flowers face upward. I’ve
never seen that happen. But I still grow it for the dangling white
tubular flowers that grow in clusters and jingle in the breeze.
5. Forget-Me-Nots (Myosotis dissitiflora)
Photo: © Marie Iannotti
Not all Forget-Me-Nots are annuals. The annual variety grows to
about 6-12 in. tall with the typical Forget-Me-Nots blue flowers
blooming in late spring or early summer. It may not be perennial,
but it will self-seed with abandon, so expect many more plants
next year, unless you deadhead before the seeds form. Annual
Forget-Me-Nots prefers partial shade.
about 6-12 in. tall with the typical Forget-Me-Nots blue flowers
blooming in late spring or early summer. It may not be perennial,
but it will self-seed with abandon, so expect many more plants
next year, unless you deadhead before the seeds form. Annual
Forget-Me-Nots prefers partial shade.
6. Foxgloves (Digitalis purpurea)
Photo: © Marie Iannotti
Most foxgloves are biennials, growing only a low, rosette of
leaves the first year, then sending up a tall flower spike the 2nd
year. But knowing that gardeners are impatient people, the
nursery trade kindly starts ‘annual’ foxgloves in the fall so that
they’re ready to jump right into flower their first year in our
gardens. 'Foxy' is the most common variety of ‘annual’ foxglove.
It’s a dwarf foxglove, growing about 8-12" tall and coming in
shades of pink and white with the spots and mottling you’d expect,
inside the glove.
leaves the first year, then sending up a tall flower spike the 2nd
year. But knowing that gardeners are impatient people, the
nursery trade kindly starts ‘annual’ foxgloves in the fall so that
they’re ready to jump right into flower their first year in our
gardens. 'Foxy' is the most common variety of ‘annual’ foxglove.
It’s a dwarf foxglove, growing about 8-12" tall and coming in
shades of pink and white with the spots and mottling you’d expect,
inside the glove.
7. Impatiens (Impatiens wallerana)
Photo: © Marie Iannotti
Impatiens are the workhorses of shade gardens. They really prefer a
slightly moist shade, but can grow and bloom with a little abuse, too.
Just don’t leave them on their own in a drought. Impatiens make a
good indicator plant, if you want a signal that it’s time to water. They
will wilt and drop their blooms and then languish for a week even after you’ve watered them. But they won’t die without a fight. In partial
shade, with minimal water, your Impatiens will shine.
slightly moist shade, but can grow and bloom with a little abuse, too.
Just don’t leave them on their own in a drought. Impatiens make a
good indicator plant, if you want a signal that it’s time to water. They
will wilt and drop their blooms and then languish for a week even after you’ve watered them. But they won’t die without a fight. In partial
shade, with minimal water, your Impatiens will shine.
8. Lobelia (Lobelia erinus)
Photo: © Marie Iannotti
Lobelia has been bred to bloom and bloom it does. There are trailing varieties and others that grow as nice neat mounds. The flowers are
small, about ½" wide, but profuse. Blue Lobelia is the most commonly offered, but it also comes in white and pinkish-red. Lobelia is great for baskets and along the edge of a bed. Although Lobelia is a full sun
annual, it will bloom in shade and actual prefers partial shade during
hot, dry summers.
small, about ½" wide, but profuse. Blue Lobelia is the most commonly offered, but it also comes in white and pinkish-red. Lobelia is great for baskets and along the edge of a bed. Although Lobelia is a full sun
annual, it will bloom in shade and actual prefers partial shade during
hot, dry summers.
Photo: © Marie Iannotti
Pansies are "the" cool weather annual, which makes them perfect for
shady gardens. Regular water will keep them blooming longer, but
pansies are surprisingly tough flowers and even if they stop blooming
for awhile, they’ll perk back up when conditions improve. I like to
move my early season container pansies to an out of the way shady
spot for the summer, then pot them back up to begin blooming again
in the fall.
shady gardens. Regular water will keep them blooming longer, but
pansies are surprisingly tough flowers and even if they stop blooming
for awhile, they’ll perk back up when conditions improve. I like to
move my early season container pansies to an out of the way shady
spot for the summer, then pot them back up to begin blooming again
in the fall.
10. Sweet Alyssum (Lobularia maritima)
Photo: © Marie Iannotti
Sweet Alyssum is underused in shady areas. The plants stay low
growing (3-5") and form dense clusters of flowers in white or purple.
I like to under plant other flowers with Alyssum and have often lined
an entire walkway with the plants. There is a sweet scent to some
varieties, but you really have to get down close to tell. Sweet Alyssum
is extremely drought tolerant and blooms longest if you give it a good shearing in mid-summer.
To purchase suitable plants go to Direct Gardening in the US
http://www.directgardening.com/index_cj.htm
And in Australia Garden Express http://www.gardenexpress.com.au
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/GardenThings
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/gardenswings
growing (3-5") and form dense clusters of flowers in white or purple.
I like to under plant other flowers with Alyssum and have often lined
an entire walkway with the plants. There is a sweet scent to some
varieties, but you really have to get down close to tell. Sweet Alyssum
is extremely drought tolerant and blooms longest if you give it a good shearing in mid-summer.
To purchase suitable plants go to Direct Gardening in the US
http://www.directgardening.com/index_cj.htm
And in Australia Garden Express http://www.gardenexpress.com.au
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/GardenThings
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/gardenswings
Is it a necessity that they be grown in shade? What if I wanted to diss my neighbors garden by having a beautiful patch of forget-me-nots in my front lawn...
ReplyDelete-Tony Salmeron
Tree Service Hendersonville
Not sure what you mean by "diss". They grow best in part shade in rich moist soil, fertilizing before spring, but you should be able to grow them in the open if you are in zones 3 to 8.Good luck.
ReplyDeleteHello Maxina,
ReplyDeleteI take it that the flowering tobacco plant is sold separately from regular tobacco? Its much prettier, I'm actually heart felt by that healthy blue glow your's has in the picture.
-Carlos Hernandez
Tree Pruning Queens